Thursday, April 18, 2013

The 'Real World'

Last weekend we took our son, 17 years old, to Los Angeles, CA to experience many firsts:

His first airplane ride

His first visit to Disneyland

His first time at the beach

His first time staying on the 24th floor of a hotel

His first time in the 'big' city

He mentioned that 'this is what the real world is like'.

The anthropologist in me immediately thought, what is the real world? Where is the real world?

Is the real world the big skyscrapers of Los Angeles?

..or the poor neighborhoods?

Is it the stark contrast between the loveliness of "Bird of Paradise" flowers and the metro tracks?

...or maybe a Vodka bottle randomly thrown into some bushes from a passing car?

Is it in a suburb, the beach, the mountains, the desert, the streets of the city, homeless people begging for money, the laughter of children playing, rich neighborhoods, small towns?

Is it what we see in movies, TV, newspapers, internet, and other media?

Does one really need to visit another state or gigantic city to experience the real world?

Is there a real world? If so, where is it?

Perhaps the real world is one's own experiences and the world we create for ourselves.

My real world is located in a small town in Utah where I chose to live and raise my family. But my real world also contains experiences, trials, heartaches, accomplishments, joy, my testimony of my Savior and His Gospel, as well years and years of choices--both good and some not so good.

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Old Lady Bucket List

(this is a work in progress!)

1. Enjoy a week on a tropical beach2. Learn to tap dance3. See a firefly4. Play the piano better (much better!)5. Do a round-off backhandspring in my old age6. Own my very own pebble ice machine7. Retire and spoil grandkids daily8. Go to a SuperBowl!9. Be a season ticket holder to all local theaters